Prematch kickabout with a bunch of others, in which it was apparent Mark was on the piss, and both myself and uncle Phil were unfit. We played 3 young and sharpish gents who stripped down to their waist and showed off impressive skills both on and off the ball.
Walk in, refresh ourselves with sponsor product - Parmalat choc milk, 600ml size. Nice, a bit rich, but the best was the price - $0.00.
Seats as usual on the diagonal in the Flying Doormat stand (I was actually taught by TFD's wife in primary school).
Adelaide are today's opponents. The Australian defence coming up against Jonesy and Allsopp. Good tactical battle on our hands.
Grella injured during the win against Canberra. Atkinson, who impressed after coming on as sub, starts. Otherwise sameo story, Anas in goal, Cervinksi, Dougie and Antho, Sterigopolous and Trajkovski flanking, Marusic and Lapansky in middie, the 170kg battering rams upfront. It's Tobin marking Danny and Yates on Jonesy.
Jonesy seems to have gained a little weight since that preseason where he covered more ground than the Pacific ocean. His respective numero novo is back in Oz after a season learning diving techniques in the land of Moller. [ahem.... - TE]
Crowd. Fair enough it looked the biggest crowd at OO. The official attendance of 512x is a little generous, lets lop off a couple hundred. As for 2 weeks ago, people seem to be squeezing in a lot more instead of scattered around the ground.
Game starts, the usual Carlton strategy of Vorwaerts isn't rewarded this time, bummer. Milan and Tobin regarding the Carlton attacks with all due respect I accord little Johnny Howard.
Carlton's best early chance came via a free kick on Allsopp, who Cryuffed his way past Tobin only to be scythed down. Marusic and Jonesy lined up, but the ball hogging greedy bastard Keko shot first, a reasonable effort at least clearing the wall and bending down and sharply. Just outside the post. Markovksi though is not an appreciator of such a strike and without the useage of words manages to convey that fact to Keko.
I first saw Adelaide a couple of years ago. Mori had just embarrassed Perosh so I went to Southo's homer against them. Good attack, good defence, shite midfield. More things change.
Petko-Milan-Tobin is our answer to Parma, and it is good, but it can only do so much in absence of a quality midfield. Still they can't stuff up everytime, and Mori sends a shot just wide.
We get another free kick, and this time there's no mistaking who will take it. Similar position as last, Jonesy demonstrates the art of power, blasting a rocket into the bottom corner. Quick, someone ring Pompey! We've found a bloke who can take freebies!
GOAL!!!!!!!!!
How long does it take Mori to reply? About 5 minutes. Milan down the left sets up a channel ball that is crossed. Frogger slips his marker and directs it past Anas.
Goal.
Jonesy comes into it again, sending Lapansky's corner Not-to-far-off. It is simply impossible to combat his strength, so either make sure he doesn't get the ball or chop him around the park.
Im convinced that Jonesy is easily the most talented player in Oz. His one touch knockoffs are f*cking amazing, twice he threaded the ball through narrow gaps, behind his back, to Trajkovski storming down the flank. But either the crosses were shite or Allsopp couldn't get away from Tobin.
Half.
Jonesy is in rare form, Allsopp his having the quality of his jock closely examined by Tobin. Mori scored one but Trajanovski was invisible.
Resumption.
Marusic, who has disappointed in the first, comes to life. Skill on the ball sees him directing Sterigopolous down the flank. The cross is short and batted out only as far as Jonesy, who from an acute angle rockets it into Petkovic and deflects into the net.
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!
You may have heard of me critisizing the standard of refereeing, I have to say today's bloke didn't impress. A tackle on Marusic later than Vinny Jones is surely a yellow and possibly a red.
Allsopp goes off, Vlahos comes on. The Marusic combination is applied once more, a neat cross, and a spectacular diving header sees us 3-1 up.
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!
3-1 it is and remains. In a way it was a pity for Angie Costanzo, who'd had a good game up to that point before Sterigopolous turned him. Good to see him back. I was also hoping to see more of Kosta "4 past Argy, no worries" Salapasidis, but to no avail.
The good news for Carlton is they've played 4, won 3 and drew the other. The schedule has been kind to them with 3 home games in the first 4, and 4 of the first 6.
They've played a litmus team, Adelaide, and won convincingly. Al Hunter has resumed training and should be back for the next home game, his presence will surely ensure the defence don't go walkabout at those critical stages. 4 goals in 4 games can be improved.
Overall, you have to be impressed by Carlton. Good team, good coach, good form. But next week comes the hard stuff, Brisbane away. A point from that game will make me very happy.
As for Adelaide, they have to do better, but this season has seen a few surprise results.
I might take a tenner on Carlton to make the finals.
* Anas 6 competent, couldn't do anything about the goal Traj 6 got forward a lot, competent Dougie 7 'nother good one Cervie 7 impressive partnership w/ Dougie Anth 6 the lesser of the defenders Atko 5 a couple of VERY good moments, but largely missing Lubo 6 player of the year (so far), it must be rigged Marusic 6 dodgy first, excellent second Jonesy 8 excellent game, easily best so far Danny 4 Tobin had him in jock all day long